nothing is harmless
by KelseyO
Summary: "She's kind of lost her playfulness over the years. Isn't it so funny," he murmurs, and you can feel his hot breath on your neck, "how she refused to let me have a little nibble?" (Will comes back for round two. Post-24. Laura/Carmilla/Danny. Title from "You Were a Kindness" by The National. Originally posted on AO3.)


Originally intended as a post-23 fic, but then 24 happened and minor adjustments were made to help mend my excruciating Danny feelings. Laura/Carmilla/Danny. Title from "You Were a Kindness" by The National. Originally posted on AO3.

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You've never been a heavy sleeper—your dad insisting on bi-weekly nighttime evacuation drills since you were old enough to walk will do that to you—so your eyes snap open at the sound of a door closing and a subsequent creaking floorboard. At first you just roll over and burrow deeper into your pillow, because you're not going to let your roommate interrupt this awesome dream you're having, but then you realize the footsteps are way too careful to be Carmilla's, and they're coming closer, and you reach for the light—

"Ah, ah, ah…" Will's voice scolds from the darkness, and a familiar hand clamps around your wrist; you shoot a blind punch with your free arm but soon he has that one as well, and you feel him recoil slightly when his fingers touch the bat wing charm. "Oh, this won't do," he purrs, ripping it off and tossing it over his shoulder, then catching your arm in midair when you try to hit him again. "I really wish you'd stop that."

The next thing you know you're being thrown to the floor, and you land hard with a grunt and immediately feel around for the charm, even consider crawling under Carmilla's bed, but Will yanks you up by your ponytail and presses his hand tightly over your mouth before you have a chance to scream.

"Y'know, this isn't quite as fun without Kitty here to protect you." He pulls you against his chest like he did last night, except this time he's not as gentle with your arms, and you grimace at the burning in your shoulder. "Then again, she's kind of lost her playfulness over the years. Isn't it so funny," he murmurs, and you can feel his hot breath on your neck, "how she refused to let me have a little nibble?"

You mentally shuffle through every self-defense move you've ever been taught and try to stomp on his foot or hook your ankle behind his knee or _something_, but he just chuckles softly and tilts your head so your neck is displayed at an even wider angle.

"The one thing I do appreciate about my sister, though, is that she's a creature of habit. She's never been one to resist a midnight hunting trip when the going gets tough, which is why I knew we'd finally get some quality time together."

You're shaking a little now, and you really wish you weren't because the fear and adrenaline probably make you even more appetizing, but it only gets worse when you feel his mouth close in on your throat.

"Now," he whispers against your skin, "where did we leave off last time?"

There's a sharp sting, and a tear rolls down your cheek.

.

You've spent the last few minutes thinking about how irritating it would be if you died tonight.

Before you and Danny can make up, before you find Betty, before you can hug your dad one more time; these are the things Will might be taking from you with every new slurp of blood from your neck. He'd mentioned just having a "nibble," but you're five-foot-two on a good day and for all you know, you _are_ a nibble.

A tiny, defenseless, about-to-die nibble.

The door bursts open and someone shouts, then Will is ripped away and you feel your knees buckle, but now there's a different pair of strong arms holding you up. Carmilla's looking at you, eyes fiercer maybe than you've ever seen them as she processes the fresh bite marks on your neck, then glares daggers at her brother, who's not faring so well against—

"Danny!" you gasp as she wrestles with Will, but when the fight edges a few inches closer to you, Carmilla's hold tightens as if there's an actual possibility you might be able to break free and try to help.

"Red's holding her own," Carmilla says, turning your bodies so she's between you them. "What did he do to you?"

Your hand drifts up to your neck, and when you pull it away, it's sticky with crimson; your eyes lift to Carmilla's and you swallow hard.

"I can handle it," she says before you can even ask, "the blood won't set me off or anything." Her jaw clenches. "Plus the knowledge that William was the last to drink from you makes your neck a bit repulsive, for the time being."

"I was wearing the charm," you mumble, flinching when Danny shoves Will against the bathroom door.

Carmilla shifts you further into the corner of the room. "I know, sweetheart."

Danny yelps and you jerk toward the sound, but even as you reach out to do something, anything, Carmilla's arms all but turn to stone around you and your own arm falls uselessly over her shoulder. "Do something!" you blurt, "He's gonna—"

You stop in midsentence when Will suddenly slumps to the floor, Danny standing over him as she moves her hair out of her face. "That wasn't so bad," she concludes breathlessly, then pulls out her phone and sends a quick text message before her eyes find yours. "Are you okay?"

"Are _you_?"

She shakes her head. "Don't worry about me," she says, propping her field hockey stick against the wall and setting her stake on the desk, then walking closer as her eyes flit between you and Carmilla. "What's the verdict?" she asks Carmilla quietly.

"I'm fine," you mutter even though you're still hanging on to Carmilla for dear life and you kind of feel like you might throw up.

"She's shaking like a leaf," Carmilla replies, clearly trying to keep the anger out of her voice. "He definitely drank a lot more than I did."

You open your mouth to protest, but okay, you actually _are_ shaking.

"Laura, I'm _so _sorry about everything," Danny says quietly. "I know I can be really overprotective… it's just—_god_, you scare the crap out of me sometimes—"

"Think you two can kiss and make up later?" Carmilla interrupts, "Perhaps when Tiny isn't on the verge of fainting?"

Danny nods, though her eyes are still on yours. "Bring her over to the bed. I'll patch her up."

Your feet are off the ground before you can get another word in and then Carmilla's carrying you bridal-style across the room; the movements have your head swimming and you accidentally end up resting your temple against her collarbone, and when she sets you on your mattress, your hand catches her wrist. "What about…?" you manage, glancing at Will, who's still unconscious (or something).

Danny uses her shoe to nudge his shoulder. "He's harmless for now, and some girls from the Summer Society are on their way to bring him back to our place."

You nod but you can't really catch your breath, and then you're swinging your legs back over the side of your bed and Carmilla gives you a warning look.

"Don't think I won't use all of that leftover rope on you, buttercup."

"This is the second night in a row that Will's snuck into the room while I'm asleep. He's now lying unconscious three feet away, and I can't see the door from here, and…" You're not sure when your hands curled into tense fists. "This isn't exactly the place in the room where I feel the safest," you finish quietly.

Carmilla's looking at you very, very carefully, and she backs away a step as if to indicate that it's your move; you take your time getting to your feet, then making your way to the opposite side of the room, and the moment you sit on Carmilla's bed you shiver, remembering what happened the last time you voluntarily put yourself here, but it still somehow feels like the best defense.

Danny clears her throat and grabs the first aid kit while Carmilla climbs into your bed and settles into the spot where you just were, picking intently at a loose thread in your pillowcase. You watch her as Danny takes a seat beside you and brushes her fingertips against your knee. "I'm just gonna…" she murmurs, holding up a wet hand towel and then beginning to wipe away the blood caked to your neck, but you barely notice.

"How did you know?"

Carmilla's eyes snap up to meet yours. "Know what?" she grumbles, though you both know exactly what you're talking about.

"You're usually away for hours… this time you weren't. Either tonight was some absurd coincidence, or—"

"It's because I bit you."

Danny rips open a sterile pad with maybe a little more force than necessary.

You blink once. "You're gonna elaborate on that, right?"

Carmilla huffs and rubs her eyes with her thumb and fingers. "When a vampire feeds without killing, it creates a sort of… connection," she explains. "After my brief sip last night, I—if you're ever particularly anxious or frightened…"

"You'll know to come grab me so I can kick some vampire ass," Danny finishes, smirking just a little as she presses a patch of gauze to your neck.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. "I mean, if you dimwits hadn't decided to _starve_ me for the past two weeks, I'd be at full strength and more than capable of handling William myself, but I figured given the circumstances, it might be smart to bring along reinforcements just this once."

You chew your bottom lip for a moment. "So, the whole biting thing… does this mean Will can sense—?"

"No," Carmilla interrupts, her tone soft but disgusted. "The connection all depends on…" She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "It depends on the intent of the bite. My brother wanted to inflict pain, perhaps even kill; and while my central purpose was energy, the motivations behind it were… far from sinister."

You swallow. "You're gonna elaborate on that, right?" you ask, and your voice is small.

"Are you about finished with the surgery, Red?" Carmilla deadpans rather than answering, and rolls onto her back and stares up at the ceiling. "I think it's getting past your girlfriend's bedtime."

"But wait," you interject before Danny's forced to think of a neutral (or not-so-neutral) response, "aren't we gonna talk about your radioactive anti-vampire charm and its one incredibly problematic flaw?" You reach down and pick up the bat wing off the floor, then try to ignore the wave of dizziness that smothers you once you sit back up—Danny's hands steady you—and hold up the charm by its broken leather strap. "It's like writing the security code right next to your burglar alarm."

Carmilla holds out her arms in frustration. "What exactly do you want from me? I gave you the charm, I sucker-punched my brother the first time he tried to eat you, and now I've allowed your pet giraffe to beat him up. I've basically done all but—"

She cuts herself off suddenly and you lean forward, earning a quiet but stern "Hold still" from Danny as she tapes the gauze in place.

"But what?"

Carmilla just shakes her head. "Nothing," she mutters right before there's a knock at the door, and then they're joined by half a dozen tall, athletic-looking girls who all immediately zero in on Carmilla.

"Guys," Danny says, pointing to Will, "wrong vampire."

.

The moment the girls leave with their new captive, your eyes snap to Carmilla's again. "What were you talking about?" you demand as you take a sip of the soda Danny's just gotten for you.

Carmilla leans back and tilts her head against the wall. "If you really want to know," she says, sounding exhausted for some reason, "it's impenetrable, and permanent… and you're not gonna like it." Her eyes flicker between you and Danny and you're not sure who that last bit was directed at.

"Could you just _once_ tell me something without having to be all vague and dramatic first?"

She doesn't even roll her eyes; just stares at her knees. "I could mark you," she says quietly; you and Danny exchange glances, and she speaks again before you've even formed the next question. "As in, mark you as my own."

Danny shifts an inch closer to you. "Are we _sure_ there's nothing else on the protection spectrum between a crappy bracelet and… that?"

"How does it work?" you blurt and feel Danny stiffen.

"I'd have to bite you again." You look at her expectantly, but she shrugs. "I'm not sure about the finer details," she mumbles. "I've never actually done it before."

"Seriously?" you and Danny ask in unison, though yours is confused while hers is more incredulous.

She shrugs again, defensively this time. "I've never had a reason to."

You're frowning a little. "Not even with Elle?"

"It was on the to-do list," Carmilla snaps, "but if you recall, things with her didn't exactly work out the way I'd planned."

Something about the anger and regret in her words has your head resting on Danny's shoulder as you think, and by the time she wraps her arm loosely around your lower back, you have another question. "Does it hurt?"

Carmilla nods once. "Yes."

"Will it make me act any differently?"

Danny's hand tenses against your hip.

"My awareness of your more heightened emotions will increase, and no other vampire will be allowed to drink from you; they'd be bound by vampiric law. Everything else will remain the same."

"Huh," you say thoughtfully.

Danny's shaking her head. "This is insane."

Carmilla crosses her arms. "I don't hear you coming up with any brilliant alternatives."

"When you say 'your own'…" Danny begins slowly after a beat, and Carmilla looks about ready to set her on fire.

"Mine to protect," she all but growls. "Nothing more, nothing less."

You lift your head and meet Danny's hesitant gaze. "We should obviously do this."

"I'm not sure I follow your definition of 'obvious," she mumbles, raking her hair back out of her face, "but I guess I sort of vaguely agree."

"Well aren't you just full of surprises," Carmilla murmurs, then glances at you. "Are you sure this is what you want?"

You shrug. "Do we really have another choice at this point?"

"No," she replies softly, "I dare say we don't." She rises from your bed, flexes her neck to either side, and cracks her knuckles loudly.

Danny leans forward and shifts her arm to be in front of you instead of behind. "If you think I'm leaving the room for this, you're crazy."

"Hadn't even crossed my mind, beanstalk." She pulls her hair back and drapes it over one shoulder, then plants herself directly in front of you. "You're going to want to lie down for this."

You exchange glances with Danny again and she reluctantly shifts to the foot of the bed so you can lean back against Carmilla's pillows, and soon Carmilla is perched at your hip. She studies your face carefully at first, but then her eyes dip to one side of your neck and then the other, and now she leans in close so her mouth is right next to your ear. "You weren't afraid after I bit you," she breathes so only you can hear. "Why?"

It occurs to you that Will's attack had you literally quaking in your pajama bottoms, and how when Carmilla came back last night, all you did was yell at her and then convince her to stay, which is… well, interesting.

You take a steadying breath in and out before whispering "I trust you."

Danny's craning her head, trying to see over Carmilla's shoulder. "Did you start yet?"

Carmilla turns to her now. "You can spend the next hour hating me as much as you want," she says, her voice dead serious, "but no matter what, do not interrupt."

Danny nods, but it's strained. "Okay," she manages.

"Now," Carmilla continues, and in a blur of motion she's suddenly on top of you, her knees on either side of your hips and her hands holding your shoulders against the mattress, "Take her hand."

"Wait, what?" Danny stammers, though her fingers find yours nonetheless. "What are you doing?"

Carmilla looks you square in the eye. "I'm starting," she says simply.

Her mouth is at your throat before you have time to anticipate it and then there's a familiar sting; but now there's a new pain, one that has you crushing Danny's hand in your own, and you really hope that's not you who's screaming.

.

Your eyes snap open and you're gasping for air like you've just swum up from the deepest part of the ocean floor without an oxygen tank, and as your vision clears you see Carmilla's face hovering above yours.

"Shhh," she whispers, brushing her fingers delicately through your hair as you catch your breath. "It was just a dream."

"How did you know—?"

"I've been living with you for months, cutie. I know when you're having a nightmare."

You keep working to steady your inhales and exhales, keep thinking about her soft touches against your scalp, and then you realize Danny is curled up alongside you with her arm draped over your stomach.

"I should've told you about the mental side effects," Carmilla continues softly, "I'm sorry."

You take a moment to breathe and feel and exist. "So… it worked?"

Carmilla nods. "It did."

"What happens now?"

She shrugs. "William doesn't eat you."

You nibble your bottom lip. "Will your mother be angry when she finds out?"

"Furious, I'd imagine."

"What are you gonna do?"

It's not until Carmilla's eyes dip to your waist and her jaws clench that you realize you're brushing your thumb along the back of Danny's palm. "I don't know," she mutters, then moves to get off the bed, but you catch her by the wrist again.

"Where are you going?"

"To _sleep_," she snaps under her breath. "You've spent the better part of the night taking a power-nap; I've spent it making sure I didn't mess up the marking process. Good_night_," she all but growls, but you still haven't let go, and she hasn't actually tried to move again.

You scoot a little closer to Danny and shift so you're on your side instead of your back. "Stay," you tell her for the second time this week. "I'd feel better if you stayed."

She sighs. "You're that little girl who always slept with a nightlight, aren't you," she guesses, but climbs back onto the mattress anyways, and within a few moments you're face-to-face and very, very close. "How do you feel?" she asks, and it sounds more like a curiosity than a formality.

Danny is warm against your back and Carmilla is like an impenetrable wall between you and the rest of the world. "Safe," you conclude after a beat.

"God knows why," she mutters, and her eyes avoid yours for a long moment. "I shouldn't have left you alone earlier. His move was entirely predictable, and it was selfish and irrational of me to think—"

You move closer to her now, and she stays completely still as you tuck yourself against her and rest your head against her chest; even in her sleep Danny moves with you, until you're sandwiched in a secure pocket of warmth that has your eyelids drooping closed almost immediately.

"Goodnight, buttercup," you mumble against her shirt.

She doesn't reply, but her fingers are in your hair again.


End file.
